Expressing dissatisfaction over the Congress, veteran leader Karan Singh on Friday said his relations with the grand old party are almost zero.

“I had joined Congress in 1967. But in the last 8-10 years, I am no more in Parliament. I was dropped from the working committee. Yes, I am in Congress but there is no contact, nobody asks me anything. I do my own work. My relations with the party are almost zero now,” Singh told ANI.

Singh’s statement sparked speculations about him leaving Congress.
Karan Singh, son of the last Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir Hari Singh, had been a Union Minister.

Last month, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from the party He has been Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008.

In his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, he had targeted party leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, over the way the party has been run in the past nearly nine years.

In the hard-hitting five-page letter, Azad had claimed that a coterie runs the party while Sonia Gandhi was just “a nominal head” and all the major decisions were taken by “Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs”.

Azad had said he was submitting his resignation with “great regret and an extremely leaden heart” and severing his 50-year association with the Congress. He was earlier Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

Recounting his long association with the Congress, Azad had said the situation in the party has reached a point of “no return.”

While Azad took potshots at Sonia Gandhi in the letter, his sharpest attack was on Rahul Gandhi and he described the Wayand MP as a “non-serious individual” and “immature”.

In his first public meeting in Jammu after quitting Congress, Azad had announced to launch of his own political outfit that will focus on the restoration of full statehood.

NEW DELHI, Sept 16: Peoples Conference leader Sajjad Lone wanted to be Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister just before the dissolution of the Assembly in 2018 although he had only six MLAs, the erstwhile State’s last Governor Satya Pal Malik has said.
Throwing light on behind-the-scenes political manoeuvring that preceded the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by him in 2018, Malik, now the Governor of Meghalaya, described Lone as the “blue-eyed boy” of the Centre.
He said he had asked Lone to write to him about the support he enjoyed in the 87-member House. Lone said he had six MLAs but “told me if you administer me the oath, I will prove my majority in a week”.
Malik spoke of the circumstances in which he dissolved the Assembly in November 2018 although PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had staked claim to form a Government with the support of the Congress and the National Conference (NC).
The PDP-BJP Government headed by Mehbooba had earlier collapsed in June 2018 after the BJP pulled out of the coalition.
Malik said he had told Lone, “That is not the governor’s role and I will not do it. The Supreme Court will flog me. The next day the Supreme Court will say you summon the House. You will lose. I will not do this.”
The Governor said it seemed that the PDP-NC-Congress combine may have had a majority but “foolishly” they had not held a formal meeting or passed a resolution or given a letter of support “to the lady (Mehbooba)”.
Malik told “The Wire” in an interview that he had spoken to the then Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley about the situation and sought directions from the Centre. He said he had told Jaitley that if he got a letter from Mehbooba Mufti staking claim to form the Government, “I am bound to call her for oath”.
The Centre had not given him any advice and told him to do what he thought was appropriate. He had then dissolved the Assembly in November 2018, Malik said.
Mehbooba Mufti wanted to reach the Governor’s house with the support of 56 MLAs which included the Congress and the NC, but the letter could not be delivered as the fax machine of the Raj Bhavan in Jammu was out of order. (Agencies)

JAMMU, Sept 16: Senior Congress leader Karan Singh has responded to the Jammu and Kashmir government declaring Maharaja Hari Singh’s birthday as a public holiday.
Karan Singh said, “I’m delighted. It happened after a lot of effort. I congratulate the young generation of Jammu that carried forward the efforts. They did it together,nobody opposed.”
“When my sons Ajatshatru and Vikramaditya were members of the Legislative Council, they had made the House pass a resolution about the holiday. Nobody carried it forward. I’d like to thank PM Modi, I too had written to him for it,” he added.
Earlier, Karan Singh, son of Maharaja Hari Singh, had endorsed the demand of the locals to declare 23 September a public holiday.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to declare Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary on 23 September as a public holiday, an official spokesman said on Thursday night.
A notification in this regard will be issued soon, he added.
The announcement was made by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha following his meeting with a delegation comprising prominent political leaders, members of Yuva Rajput Sabha, civil society members, including head of J-K transport union, at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday, the spokesman said.

NEW DELHI, Sept 16: Union MoS PMO Jitendra Singh while speaking at the Republic Bharat Summit on Friday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for bringing its development model in areas including peripheral territories such as North East and Jammu and Kashmir. During the address, Singh also complimented Modi government for walking the talk and making out-of-the-box decisions.
Recalling PM Modi’s determination of bringing grassroot democracy across the country, the Union MoS gave the example of Jammu and Kashmir. “The formation of Zila Parishad in Jammu and Kashmir took place after 70 years with PM Modi’s vision. Modi government showed Jammu and Kashmir what is the true meaning of self-rule,” he added.
“I think when you look back, the central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has walked the talk. PM Modi’s strength and his capacity to take out-of-the-box decisions really helped the current government to work for the country in an extraordinary way,” Singh said.
“PM Modi-led government has trusted the youth of the government. In less than 3 years, we have more than 60 startups in the Space sector. Earlier, nobody had the courage to break the taboo,” the Union minister said. “India’s first manned space mission will possibly take place by 2024,” he informed. (Agencies)

Srinagar, Sep 16 (GNS): At least seven persons suffered injuries after a truck collided with a passenger cab in Behramgalla of Surankote area in Poonch district this afternoon.

Reports reaching GNS that a truck bearing registration number JK08F 7247 hit a Srinagar-bound Xylo vehicle (JK14C 2788) in Behramgalla Surankote area, resulting in injuries to seven persons.

The injured persons identified as; Raysat Khan, son of Mohd Younis, Mohd Razak son of Lal Khan,Tariq Khan son of Abdul Quyoom, Shabina wife of Mohd Bashrat, Saleema Bi wife of Mohd Sageer, Moheen Khan son of Imtayaz Khan and Mohd Bashrat son of Khan Mohd, all residents of Mendhar, were shifted to a nearby hospital for immediate treatment.

SHO Surankote Rajveer Singh told GNS that soon after receiving information, a team was moved to the spot and the injured persons shifted to the hospital for treatment. “We have registered a case into the incident for investigations”, the official further said. (GNS)

In a major decision, the Centre is set to grant land ownership rights to West Pakistan refugees (WPR) in Jammu and Kashmir.

After the abrogation of Article 370, the Centre has initiated an exercise through which the ownership rights will be granted to the WPRs over lands measuring 46,666 Kanals that were allotted to them before the abrogation of Article 370.

Officials said these lands are in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts and were allotted to the WPRs in 1954 after they migrated to the Indian side of the International Border.

“The Union Home Ministry officials have discussed the matter with the revenue department officials of J&K who have initiated the exercise,” official sources said.

When J&K had special status under Article 370 and 34A, the West Pakistan refugees could neither own land nor apply for government jobs as they were not state subjects of J&K.

After coming to power in the Centre, the BJP government had given Rs 5.5 lakh per family as compensation to West Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) refugees.

After Article 370 was scrapped, West Pakistan Refugees, POJK refugees, Gorkhas and Valmikis have been declared as domiciles of J&K.

The lands on which the ownership rights will be granted to these refugees exist in Akhnoor, R.S. Pura, Bishnah in Jammu district, in parts of Samba district and Hiranagar district.

Director General of Police Dilbag Singh visited Teetwal, Keran, Gogal Dhar forward areas along the Line of Control (LOC) in Kupwara district of north Kashmir where he reviewed the border security scenario.
The DGP interacted with representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and locals and also surveyed sites for border police posts. The DGP paid tributes to the martyrs at the war memorial Teetwal and also visited the under construction Sharda Temple and Gurdwara.
Accompanied by ADGP Headquarters, PHQ, MK Sinha, DC Kupwara DS Dattatray and SSP Kupwara Yougal Manhas, the DGP first visited Tangdhar where he was received by Brigadier NK Dhas, Brigade Commander 104 infantry. The Brigade Commander briefed the DGP regarding the security grid in the area.
He then visited Teetwal and Keran and had a series of interactions with the officers and jawans of Police and Army as also representatives of PRIs and locals.
The DGP complimented the Commanders and troops for their professional standards, and ability to thwart threats posed by the elements across the border.
He emphasized on adopting effective measures to put an end to the emerging challenge of narco terrorism. Possible security challenges and the counter measures were discussed during these interactions.
During the visit the DGP also had public interaction meetings at Teetwal and Keran during which he appreciated the role of people in maintenance of peace. He emphasized on collective measures to stop drug trade saying that it is being used to harm our younger generation.
He said that drugs not only affect the consumer but society as a whole. He advised the youth to participate in the nation building activities for a better tomorrow. He appealed for active support in curbing illicit trade of drugs.
During his interaction with PRIs and youth of the area, the DGP and visiting officers assured that the grievances brought into their knowledge would be addressed.
The DGP also visited Police station Keran and reviewed its working. He stressed for alertness to plug cross-border norco trade. He also inspected the available facilities for Jawans and officers in the police station. The DGP also had a survey of the proposed sites for border police posts at Jabri, Sadepora, Kandiyan and Jumagund.
Besides, Brigadier NK Dhas, Commander 104 Infantry Brigade, Colonel Varun Soni, Commander 6 JAK Rifle, Colonel Deepak Deswal Commander 6-RR, Colonel Rakesh Shisodia, Commander 4-Sikh (renowned as Saragarhi Battalion) briefed the DGP, regarding the prevailing security situation and counter measures adopted in these areas under their command.

JAMMU: Acting tough in the Sub Inspectors paper leakage scam, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has arrested three accused including a Government teacher and a police constable for interrogation as it was established that they were instrumental in selling leaked question paper for hefty amount.

Arrested accused have been identified as Raman Sharma son of Chuni Lal, a resident of village Nore in Maira Mandrian area of Khour, posted as Selection Grade Constable (SgCt) in Jammu and Kashmir Police, Suresh Sharma son of Ram Lal Sharma, a resident of Kaink Jageer in Akhnoor, a tout and Jagdish Sharma son of Dhani Ram, R/o Masyal Narayana in Khour, a Government teacher.

After the arrest, the CBI produced all three accused before the designated court and took them on 10-day remand for questioning in connection with paper leakage scam.

Sources said the accused were part of the racket which leaked the question paper and subsequently sold it among the aspirants for an amount running into lakhs.

Houses of all three accused were raided early this week by the CBI sleuths when total of 33 locations spread over six States and Union Territories were searched in connection with the scam.

More arrests in the scam haven’t been ruled out, sources said, adding the CBI started with those who had sold the question paper at more places for hefty amount.

The CBI has started questioning of the arrested accused to ascertain total number of persons to whom they sold the papers. Also, the investigators will extract names of persons from whom they secured the question paper.

The CBI has already conducted two rounds of raids in connection with leakage of question papers after the case was handed over to it by the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

The CBI had registered a case on August 3 in connection with Sub Inspectors recruitment scam on the request of Jammu and Kashmir Government against a total of 33 accused including then Medical Officer, BSF Frontier Headquarters Paloura, then Member JKSSB, then Under Secretary and Section Officer of SSB, ex-official of CRPF, ASI of JKP, owner of a coaching centre at Akhnoor, private company based at Bengaluru, some private persons and other unknown persons on the allegations of irregularities in written examination for the posts of Sub Inspectors in Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted by the Services Selection Board on March 27.

Results of the examinations were declared on June 4.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government had initially set up a Committee of officers to probe the charges of irregularities in the paper leakage. Based on their report, the case was handed over to CBI.